


Intertwined

by itislacey



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: AU, Alternate Reality, Alternate Universe, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-21
Updated: 2016-09-21
Packaged: 2018-08-16 14:15:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8105578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itislacey/pseuds/itislacey
Summary: Two boys. One fate.Dan made a horrible wish. And it was granted. He saw the life that would have been if he didn't click that one YouTube video nearly ten years ago, and watch that guy who calls himself AmazingPhil. What he also got, however, was an insight to Phil's life as well. Dan never realized just how different his friend's life would be without him. And though he seemed to be doing just fine, Dan learned a little more than he bargained for. He learned of fate, and how it always plays a hand in making sure two people meet. No matter the time, no matter the life.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Just watched that teaser for TATINOF on YouTube Red and now I'm emo just remembering my TATINOF experience. I was talking to a friend about Dan and Phil, and we got so emo, this was the result of that. So, enjoy! Or cry. Because God knows I am.

As everyone knows, Dan Howell is one who contemplates life and existence, and wonders just how in the world he's able to live like he does. Yes, he's a sucker for the night sky and the stars, and he often looks up at them when he can. Living in London, that's a rare sight to come by. The city lights always block them out, but every now and then, Dan catches that one. That one, bright and burning star the calls to him. He's never made a wish on it. He's never had to. But after tonight, after the release of their tour film and documentary, Dan made a wish. 

_I wish I would have known what my life was like without Phil._

Of course, he would  _never_ want his life to be any other way. He loved his best friend. He cared deeply for him and wouldn't give him up for the world. Just some nights, his thoughts get the better of him, and he can't help but imagine what he would be doing if he never came across AmazingPhil on YouTube. 

And of course, the one time Dan makes a dumb wish, it just so happens to come true. 

* * *

Dan. Young. Eighteen. Bored at home, nothing to do. He often watched YouTube in his free time, and ended up heading into this downward spiral until it was nearly two in the morning and he hadn't slept yet. He was just about to click on a recommended video from some guy called AmazingPhil, when his mum called at him from downstairs. 

"What is she even doing home?" Dan grumbled, closing the tab for YouTube and deciding that his watching was going to have to wait until later. He went downstairs to see what his mum wanted. "What?"

"Help me carry in and put away these groceries. It won't take long, dear. Then you can go back to whatever it was you were doing."

Dan sighed, heading outside to the car full of items from Tesco. Of  _course_ he was interrupted when he was about to watch a good video. Of  _course_ his mum came home right then. Yes, he could go back and watch the video that YouTube had recommended him, and that wasn't really why he was upset. He was mostly upset for one reason: he couldn't remember the guy's username. 

For days, Dan continued to waste his summer away by watching YouTube, and not once did he see that video recommended to him again. He cursed at himself, even silently at his mum, for not remembering what that guy's username was. He could remember his name started with a P, but each time he would search it in the box, he got results for other things that weren't related to the guy he was looking for. He knew this because he had clicked on every possible option, not finding what he was looking for. 

After about a month with no luck, Dan gave up. He thought about maybe creating his own YouTube channel, but he didn't find himself particularly interesting. What would he even say to people? What would he tell them? He debated on it for days, but every friend he told, would laugh at him. His parents said he couldn't make a career that way. Dan didn't have the right push from the right person to get him started. 

So he never did.

* * *

Dan barely had enough time for YouTube now that he was in uni and studying law. Often times he wondered if his life would be better or worse if he had a hobby, but he assumed it would be worse with all the school work he had to do. There was simply no time for a hobby. Or friends. His roommates barely qualified as friends. 

On one lone day, Dan sat in his small room with white walls, staring at a camera he had on the dresser across from him. It wasn't turned on, hell. It probably didn't even have batteries. But for a quick second, he wondered that if he started YouTube all those months ago, if he would be making a video now. Talking his university life. There wasn't much to tell, other than the fact that he was swamped with work and the girls were--

"Hello?" Dan called as he heard the knock on his door. 

His roommate opened it, surveying Dan and looking around his room. "What are you doing?"

"Just doing the homework thing I usually do," he replied, forgetting all about his almost hobby and camera that sat across his room.

"Well, we're going out soon, you want to come?"

"No, I'm good."

"Okay," his roommate said, shutting the door and muttering, "Nerd," as he left.

Dan sighed. He didn't know university life was going to be  _this_ bad. He hated studying law and being the loser of the campus. If only he had a friend to help him through it. _But then again,_ Dan thought, _no one is ever willing to be one to me._

* * *

A few years went by, and Dan actually couldn't believe he finished school and became a  _lawyer._ A lame, suit wearing, lawyer. He always thought this is what he wanted to do. He wanted to appear smart and important since many people never thought he was either, so he supposed that this was the best profession to give people that impression. His parents were happy for him. They were excited to tell their friends who asked about their son that he was a nice, hot shot lawyer who studied at Manchester University and did something with his life.

Truthfully, Dan regretted his decision to be a lawyer about the middle of the semester. He broke down and cried, had no one there to help him through it. He was alone and crumbling. But right before he fell apart completely, he got back up, gathered up his papers and said to himself, "I can do this." After all, it wasn't the job that was going to be too hard. No, it was the exam he had to take to see if he could be one. He was so close to just dropping out, taking some time off and taking the test later, but he didn't. He needed to do this to prove a point to not only himself, but everyone who was watching. 

Which wasn't a lot, but that's not the point. 

He passed his exam with flying colors, and he slept for  _days._ He had exhausted himself will all the studying and homework, he had forgotten to give himself the proper time to sleep or eat. So now that he was done, he gave himself the much needed rest he deserved. 

* * *

 

Twenty-five. Still alone, living  _on_ his own. Slaving his days away at the lawfirm he used to intern for years and years ago. Dan hated every second of his life. Why did he ever want to become a lawyer? Oh, that's right. To prove a point. But what point? That you can have a shitty life as long as you try for it? He didn't  _want_ to be a lawyer. He never did. Yes, people saw him as smart and sophisticated, but he wasn't  _happy_ with seeming that way. He hadn't been happy in years. He wondered just how it felt to actually be content with life.

Dan was done with work early that day, so he packed up his briefcase and took the lift downstairs. He had lived in London for about a month now. He only moved here because his job required it, and he had to say, it wasn't that bad of a city. Once you got past the constant sirens and crowds of people on the tube, that is. 

The air was cold and biting as he stepped outside, and he figured he would grab a cup of coffee from the Starbucks next door. He reached for the handle when someone else shoved the door open, nearly knocking him over. 

"Oh my gosh! I am  _so_ sorry!" the man said, looking Dan over to make sure he was alright. The man was tall, Dan's height. His hair was black, his eyes were blue. His skin showed he rarely saw the light of day.

"It's okay," Dan said, smiling at him. "No big deal."

"Are you sure? I didn't hurt you or anything, did I?" 

Dan chuckled. "No. It was a graze of the door. I'm fine. Really."

The man sighed with relief. "Good. Again, I'm sorry! I'm just too clumsy for my own good."

"Me too, honestly. I have what's known as 'butterfingers.' I drop everything I hold. Good thing I wasn't holding a coffee then. It would have dumped all over you or the ground." Why Dan told him something so stupid, he wasn't sure. But instead of the harsh, judgemental looks people always gave him when he said something weird, the man smiled at him.

"Trust me, I know the feeling. Except I mostly trip over things and fall. My legs just don't work right." He chuckled to himself, saying, "Well, I'll let you get your coffee now. Again, sorry for hitting you with the door." He waved his goodbyes, and Dan waved back. 

 _He was nice,_ Dan thought.  _Quite the contrast from a lot of the people around here._ Without another thought of the man, Dan went inside and ordered himself a cup of coffee. He couldn't help but think that's he's seen that man before. Just in a different time. But he shoved his thoughts aside, deeming them as unimportant. He thought about work, the things he was going to have to do tomorrow. 

Dan did not think of that man again. In fact, he never saw him for the rest of his boring life. 

* * *

Phil Lester loved to try new things. YouTube was one of them. 

If it weren't for his supportive friends encouraging him, he probably would have never done it or kept up with it. He started his channel while he was still in uni, and though he wasn't a big fan of his first video, he only saw room for improvement. Not only that, but it wasn't half bad. He quite enjoyed seeing the number of views his videos got, as well as the comments he received. Some of them were nasty and hateful, but he just marked them as spam and moved on. Life was too short to dwell on the negatives. 

To his own surprise, Phil found time to film a lot of videos. He didn't upload a majority of them, mostly because he didn't like them, and he half wished he could get some feedback from a friend or something on his videos before he uploaded them. He wanted to know if they were good, happy, entertaining. But he would  _never_ show his friends his videos. They felt personal to him. Only the closest of friends could see them, and to Phil's dismay, he had none he approved of on being  _that close._

Maybe one day he could put all his old videos to use. Perhaps put the odd thumbnails in a book or something as a funny memory. 

 _Why would I ever have a book to put them in!?_ he thought to himself. Then laughed. Why would he ever write a book? He had no reason for one! Yeah, he was studying English and was nearly done getting his degree, so writing a book was definitely not off the table. He just didn't see why he would have use for one.  _But stranger things have happened._

Indeed, they did. But alas, Phil never found a reason to write that book. 

* * *

 

Phil finally submitted his paper to his editor, and he could hardly wait to see his anonymous advice column in the paper next week. He never imagined himself writing for a big newspaper, let alone being the guy who does the advice columns, but his friends told him he would be so good at it, considering he offered some of the best advice they've ever heard. And as it turns out, he quite liked it.

He still did YouTube, despite being a bit older and having graduated his university. He didn't do it regularly, only when he felt like making a new video because he was bored. He had half a million subscribers, which was actually quite a lot to him. It was amazing how people all over the planet watched his stuff. Most people who commented on the videos or tweeted him, were people saying how he makes them smile or laugh when they're feeling down. It gives him a warm, fuzzy feeling, knowing that he can do that for people. He's always liked helping others. So maybe that's why writing the advice column was so good for him.

But for the most part, Phil was shy. He had friends, yeah, but they weren't as close as he would like some of them to be. He would participate in game night with them every week, but he would always go home feeling this emptiness of not having anyone to talk to for another week. He talked to his fans quite a bit, but he couldn't just share information with all of them. Maybe one, but definitely not all.

All in all, Phil's life wasn't  _bad,_ but it could be  _better._ Living in London presented him with plenty of opportunities and people to get to know, but he was always too afraid to put himself out there. People thought he was quirky. People thought his height was freaky. No, he wasn't one to just blend into a crowd, he always stood out. Maybe that's why people didn't like being around him. There was too much attention that followed.

* * *

 

Phil had just finished editing a long, overdue YouTube video, in the middle of Starbucks. His current flat was having a problem with WiFi, so he had to go across the street to edit and upload. He downed roughly three cups of coffee, feeling slightly jittery as he watched the loading bar process his video. When it was finally ready, he clicked upload, watching it land its way into YouTube sub boxes. It already had three hundred views. Nice.

He packed up his things, his limbs a little jumpy as he forced his way through the crowd of people, and actually _fell_ into the door, shoving it open and hitting someone else. "Oh my gosh! I am  _so_ sorry!" Phil said, looking the man he hit over to make sure he was alright. The man was tall, Phil's height. His hair was brown, his eyes matched. His skin was slightly dark, but it still seemed like he rarely saw the light of day. 

"It's okay," the man, smiling at him. "No big deal."

"Are you sure? I didn't hurt you or anything, did I?" 

The man chuckled. "No. It was a graze of the door. I'm fine. Really."

Phil sighed with relief. "Good. Again, I'm sorry! I'm just too clumsy for my own good."

"Me too, honestly. I have what's known as 'butterfingers.' I drop everything I hold. Good thing I wasn't holding a coffee then. It would have dumped all over you or the ground." 

Phil smiled at him, finding his clumsiness rather amusing. "Trust me, I know the feeling. Except I mostly trip over things and fall. My legs just don't work right." He chuckled to himself, saying, "Well, I'll let you get your coffee now. Again, sorry for hitting you with the door." He waved his goodbyes, and the man waved back.

God, he felt so bad for hitting that poor man with the door. He hadn't meant to. He just fell into it. 

Back at his flat, Phil looked out the window at the large, law firm that resided across the street with the Starbucks next door. Phil saw the brown-haired man once more, after he exited the shop, coffee in hand. He was walking away from the building, when he turned on his heel, heading into the law firm.

 _I bet he works there,_ Phil thought. But despite that man working right across the street from Phil everyday, Phil never saw him again. In fact, he only mentioned him one more time for a YouTube video that pertained to Phil's clumsiness. After that, his thoughts of him had left his mind completely. 

* * *

 

Tears rolled down Dan's face as he closed the curtains to the lounge window, storming back to his room to cry in peace. How  _dare_ he saw visions of a shitty life. How  _dare_ that wished actually worked, showing Dan what  _both_ of their lives would be like without each other. 

But just as fate would have it, Dan worked right across the street from Phil. Everyday. Even though both of them didn't know it.

Fates worked in odd ways, Dan supposed. They would always tie two people's lives together if that's how it was meant to be, and it just so happens that Dan and Phil's paths were always meant to cross. In one way or another. 

Dan couldn't imagine living that God awful life as a  _lawyer._ Phil seemed pretty okay, lonely at times, but mostly okay. Dan knew just how much the boy in the room across from his saved his life, and there was never a day that went by where Dan was not grateful for it. 

He was happy Phil had a reason to write that book. He was happy that Phil had encouraged him to try YouTube all those years ago. He was happy that Phil helped him through his crisis about his law work. He was happy he had  _Phil._

Dan was a crying mess now, and he  _wished_ he never laid eyes on that damned star. He didn't realize just how terribly different their lives would have been without each other. And all it took to set them on those paths was one, small click of the mouse button. One,  _very_ significant click of Dan's finger. All cut off and interrupted by his  _mum._

Dan wiped the tears from his cheeks, storming over to Phil's room and knocking rapidly on the door. Phil answered almost immediately, with droopy eyes and his glasses on. He had forgotten just how late it actually was.

"Dan?" Phil yawned. "Are you--"

His sentence was cut off by a bone-crushing hug. Dan held him close, squeezing him tight and never wanting to let him go. "Thank you, Phil. Thank you for everything you have done for me and millions of other people. I don't tell you nearly enough as I should, but I am so grateful for you." His tears dripped onto Phil's shoulder, and Phil wrapped his arms around Dan, squeezing him back. 

"You're welcome, Dan," he said, a bit uncertain. "But can I ask what brought this on?" 

Dan pulled away reluctantly, wiping his eyes once more. "I just . . . I realized how shitty my life would have been if I never saw that one video of you."

"I'm sure my life would be pretty different as well," he said with a chuckle.

Dan laughed, a small sob escaping his lips. "You have no idea." He pulled Phil into another hug, breathing in his scent, feeling his warm skin. Yes, this was home. This was Dan's life, and he would not trade it for the world. 

All it took to get here was one click, and one guy who was willing to listen. 

 

 

 


End file.
